Odd isn’t it? Odd that I would hire a professional personal trainer to help me with a task and then disregard the instructions given. But, I did – I ignored part of his instructions for 3 years… guess I am a slow learner. I think I excelled at the resistance training/workout side. I love a hard, challenging workout and he never fails to deliver(Don’t worry, if you need a less rigorous workout – he can assess and adjust to your needs – I have seen him train a less physically fit 72 yr old woman with similar ease and success). The workouts are customized to my fitness goals and are always slightly different – no small feat considering that I have been his client for 4 years!

Until recently I have flunked the nutrition side. It just doesn’t seem logical to me that I could lose weight by eating – that is counter intuitive.

And yet it has proven to be very true. This time I have had results because I have eaten. Mark had me keep a food journal for a couple weeks before we started the new plan. We reviewed it together and all of his recommendations were based on the foods I like and that fit within my lifestyle. I am very much an eat on the run kind of person, so my plan could not include 4 course sit down meals. He combined this information with his expertise on the subject and created a plan that has worked. We review the food journal once a month and I follow his instructions on what to change or do differently. Those instructions have usually had to do with when I eat what.

My results: in the first 8 weeks I lost 15 1/2 lbs and 6″ overall. My next official weigh in is Sept 1. I will let you all know how I have done this last 4 weeks. I think I have done ok, because, none of my clothes fit – in a big way! Not complaining about that one!

So for all you out there struggling with your weight and fitness – please, don’t do that anymore. Easy access to the internet means that you can ask for Marks help too – by commenting on this blog, by contacting him through his social media, or by calling him. If you don’t live in the area or can’t train with him, still do contact him. He will help you come up with the best plan for your circumstances. If you do live in the area – wow! don’t miss a chance to get his personalized care and attention!

If you want to prove to yourself that I am real, that my story is real, you can contact me through twitter: iempoweru I’d be glad to connect with you. Sincerely, Linda Hughes

Feel-Good Frittata

This rustic, Mediterranean-inspired dish never fails to satisfy tastebuds-whether they’re your own or your guests’. Try this healthy version to cut down on the egg yolks and the oil to reduce the fat content-without cutting down on great taste!

You will need:

Nonstick vegetable oil cooking spray
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1-1/2 cups fresh baby spinach, loosely packed
1 whole egg
3 egg whites
2 Tbsp. reduced-fat crumbled feta cheese
Dash of pepper
1 orange
1 slice whole-grain toast

In a bowl, blend whole egg and eg whites with a whisk. Stir in feta and add pepper to taste; set aside.

Coat an 8-inch skillet with nonstick vegetable oil cooking spray; heat on high.

Add red bell pepper; cook about 5 minutes or until just tender.

Add spinach and saute 2 minutes until leaves are wilted but still bright green.

Pour egg mixture over vegetables. Cook on medium heat until eggs set.

remove from heat. PLace a plate on top of the skillet and invert so frittata falls onto plate. Re-spray skillet with nonstick vegetable oil cooking spray and return to heat to brown other side, about 1 minute.

Serve with an orange and one slice of whole-grain toast. (1 serving)

To accomodate guests, double or triple the amount of ingredients as needed. Make one frittata at a time, keeping each frittata warm in a 200-degree oven on an oven-safe plate until all are completed. Cooking a single frittata in an oversized skillet is not recommended; using a skillet that is too large can make flipping the frittata difficult.

Serving Size: 1 frittata (plus one slice of shole-grain toast and one orange)
Cal: 280
Fat Total: 3g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Carbs: 34g
Fiber: 8g
Protein: 21g

Enjoy! I’ll continue to share more recipes for fat loss like this one from BeachBody. If you have one you would like to share, let me know.

Summer is wrapping up, so I’ll get this one out while we still have some hot days left. this recipe comes from Lynn Higgins. Visit her at Shodanagal .

My Favorite Green Summer Drink

1 lemon or lime
1/2 cup parsley
2 big handfuls of spinach
1 rib of celery, chopped
1 pinch of peeled ginger
1 medium cucumber
2 apples or 2 pears
ice cubes
1 Tbsp wheat germ or ground flax **

** Optional step-Lynn’s personal choice!

This serves 2 people nicely!!

It’s on www.CalorieKing.com and it’s free to use! This site provides an easy way to look up any food of interest to see a breakdown on it’s nutrition facts.

Do a search on any item in their food database to find a wide range of nutrient data and information available including calorie count charts, fat content, fiber content, protein content and more.

If you don’t know how to use such information, you may find it beneficial to start with my Fat Loss Guidelines page.

The Fast-Track Blueberry Muffin

Order your morning coffee and you always hear that dreaded question: “Muffins or pastries with that?” You glance at the tempting glass case and the inner struggle begins. Now you can bring a treat for the morning commute that packs in the bakery flavor without the high fat and calories. Just pour some home-brewed joe in your travel mug, and kiss the coffee cart goodbye!

You will need:

1-1/2 cups wheat flour
3/4 cup flax seed meal
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. ground ginger
2 apples, shredded
3/4 cup nonfat milk
1 egg
2 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup blueberries
Nonstick muffin tin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all dry ingredients together, except blueberries.

Combine eggs, milk, and vanilla and beat for 30 seconds.

Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir and fold blueberries.

Fill each muffin tin cup 3/4 of the way full. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.
(15 servings)

Serving size: 1 muffin
Cal: 140
Fat Total: 2.5g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Carbs: 28g
Fiber: 4g
Protein: 4g

Enjoy! This recipe brought to you by BeachBody

Here’s how to do the run/walk method:

1. After you’ve warmed-up with a 5-minute walk, run for a short segment and then take a walk break. Beginners can alternate very short run segments with short walks, such as 1 minute running, 7 minutes walking.

2. Keep repeating your run/walk pattern until you’ve covered your goal distance or time. For example, if you want to run/walk for 16 minutes, you can run/walk at a 1:7 ratio for two cycles. Make sure that you’re using the proper form (applies to both your running and walking segments).

3. You should start your walk portion before your running muscles get too tired. This will allow your muscles to recover instantly, which extends the time and distance that you can cover. If you wait until you’re very fatigued, you’ll end up walking slowly and it will be difficult to start running again.

4. For the walk portions, make sure you’re not taking a leisurely stroll. You should pump your arms, so that your heart rate stays elevated. That way, you’ll still be getting a good cardiovascular workout and it will make the transition back to running easier.

5. As you continue with your run/walk program, try to extend the amount of time you’re running and reduce your walking time.

Enjoy your training!

Consult a doctor before beginning any fitness training program.

Below is an eight-week training schedule to help get you to the finish line. It assumes that you can already run at least 1.5 miles. Modify this with the run/walk method if you’ve never run before. The run/walk method will be outlined in a post to follow. If this schedule doesn’t seem challenging enough for your running level, ask me nicely, and I might help you to modify it.

Notes about the schedule:

Mondays and Fridays: Mondays and Fridays are rest days. Rest is critical to your recovery and injury prevention efforts, so don’t ignore rest days. Your muscles actually build and repair themselves during your rest days. So if you run every day without taking days off, you won’t see much improvement.

Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays: After you warm up, run at a comfortable pace for the designated mileage. Make sure you cool down and stretch after your run.

Each week, you’ll increase your runs by a quarter mile, which is a lap on most outdoor tracks. If most of your runs are on the road and you’re not sure how far you run, you can figure out the mileage by using sites such as MapMyRun.com. Or, you can always drive your route in your car and measure the mileage using your car odometer.

Wednesdays: Do a cross-training (CT) activity (circuit weight training, biking, swimming, elliptical trainer) at a moderate intensity for 30 to 40 minutes. If you’re feeling very sluggish or sore, take a rest day.

Sundays: This is an active recovery day. Your run should be at an easy (EZ), comfortable pace, which helps loosen up your muscles. Or, you can do a run/walk combination.

You can switch days to accommodate your schedule. So if you’re busy on another day and prefer to workout on a Monday or Friday, it’s fine to swap a rest day for a run day.

The training schedule:

Week Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
1 Rest 1.5 m run CT or Rest 1.5 m run Rest 1.5 m run 20-30 min EZ
2 Rest 1.75 m run CT or Rest 1.5 m run Rest 1.75 m run 20-30 min EZ
3 Rest 2 mi run CT or Rest 1.5 m run Rest 2 m run 20-30 min EZ
4 Rest 2.25 m run CT or Rest 1.5 m run Rest 2.25 m run 25-35 min EZ
5 Rest 2.5 m run CT or Rest 2 m run Rest 2.5 m run 25-35 min EZ
6 Rest 2.75 m run CT 2 m run Rest 2.75 m run 35-40 min EZ
7 Rest 3 m run CT 2 m run Rest 3 m run 40 min EZ
8 Rest 3 m run CT or Rest 2 m run Rest Rest 5K Race!

Enjoy your training!

Mark Mueller:
Fat Loss Recipe Of The Week

Breakfast Tortilla Roll-Ups

Get all the great flavor of huevos rancheros – the Southwestern breakfast favorite – without all the fat and calories. A spicy, high-protein way to start out your day – ole!

You will need:

4 large eggs
4 egg whites
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 scallions, chopped
1 plum tomato, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce
1/2 cup shredded, reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp. chopped, fresh cilantro
Nonstick vegetable oil cooking spray
4 (six-inch) fat-free flour tortillas (choose whole-wheat if available)

Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick vegetable spray and set over medium-high heat.

Add the bell pepper and cook until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes.

Add the scallions and tomato; saute until softened, about 1 minute. Transfer the vegetables to a plate.

Beat the eggs, egg whites, salt, and pepper sauce together in a medium bowl.

Spray the skillet with more nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Add the egg mixture and cook, stirring as needed, until the eggs are scrambled but not dry.

Remove from the heat and gently toss the eggs with the sauteed vegetables.

Heat the tortillas according to the package directions.

Fill the tortillas by spooning 1/4 of the egg-vegetable mixture along the botom edge of each tortilla; sprinkle with some cheese and cilantro.

Roll up the tortillas tightly, then cut them in half and serve. (4 servings)

Can’t take the heat? Reduce the hot pepper sauce to 1/4 teaspoon.

Serving size: 1 roll-up
Cal: 270
Fat Total: 11 g
Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
Carbs: 26g
Fiber: 3g (more if using whole-wheat tortilla)
Protein: 16g

Source: www.BeachBodyMark.com

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